Classifier.



J. S. BARTLEY.

CLASSIFIER.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 7. 1916.

11 ggQggg I Patented Sept. 25, 1591?.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- INVENTOR. J 6. 5/4/2715 V.

TTORNE Y.

J. S. BARTLEY.

CL'ASSIFIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-7,1916- I y 1 Q4LQ QQ3Q I Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

JNVENTOR. Ea! I J 6. BARKLEY A TTOR NE Y.

J. S. BARTLEY.

CLASSIFIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-7,1916.

mww wu Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

INVENTOR. 5 54871.5 4

A TTORNE Y.

JOSEPH S. BARTLEY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

CLASSIFIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, rear.

Application filed March 7, 1916. Serial No. 82,595.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnPH S. 'BARTLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Classifiers, of which "machines, or it may if so desired be operated independently for the classification of finely divided materials.

The classifier consists essentially of a tapering, preferably conical, conduit which carries upon its inner surface, a helical blade whose inner, edge extends in an imaginary cylinder, coaxial .with the conduit.

The blade winds in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the conduit with which it isassociated so that in the operation of the device, material deposited between the convolutions of the blade, will be moved along the inner circumferential surface of the conduit, in a direction opposite to the current of liquid matter passing through the center of the same.

When the conical conduit is applied to a coarse-grinding machine such as a ball-mill,

it is connected at its small end with the discharge opening thereof, while in case it is ance with the desired fineness of the final product of the machine.

When used in connection with mills in which the discharge passes through a perforated partition into and through the open end of a rotary drum, a spiral conduit is connected with the helical passage of the classifier for the purpose of delivering the returning oversize at a point adjacent the surface of the discharge end of the drum, and thereby prevent its mixing with the outflowing matter.

In the accompanying drawings in the various views of which like parts are similarly designated,

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of my improved classifier in connection with the discharge end of a rotary coarse-grinding mill,

Fig. 2, a transverse section along the line 22, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3, a similar section taken along the line 3-3, Fig. 1, i a

Fig. 4, a longitudinal section of the classifier modified in construction for cooperative association with the delivery end of a rotary fine-grinding or pulverizing machine,

Fig. 5, an elevation of the classifier showing another modification of its construc- Fig. 6, a longitudinal section of a classifier modified by the provision of a spiral discharge conduit for its operative connect1on with a partitioned rotary mill, and

Fig. 7, a transverse section taken along the line 7--7, Fig. 6. y

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings the reference numeral 2 designates the cylindrical container of a ball-mill or other similar rotary coarse-grinding machine, and 3 the head secured at the delivery end thereof. In the construction shown in the drawmgs, my improved classifier forms a part of the head 3, although it may if so desired be made separate from the same for use on the head of a mill already in operation.

The classifier as shown in the drawings,

consists of a cylindrical portion 4 disposed within a trunnion provided for the rotary support of the mill upon a suitable bearing i 5, and a conical portion 6 which at its small end is connected at the outer end of the first-mentioned portion. 1

The two portions of the classifier provide conjointly a continuous conduit which carries upon its interior surface, a helical blade 7 the inner edge of which lies in an imaginary cylinder coaxial with the conduit.

The helical blade is wound continuously in one direction and a tubular partition 8 disposed concentrically in the small end of the conduit, is connected at the inner edge of the blade for the purpose of separating the return flow of material along the shallow end-portion of the blade, from the current of liquid matter discharged from the mill and flowing outwardly through the center of the conduit.

The classifier is composed of flanged sections detachably connected by bolts 9 for the purpose of varying the length of the conduit to regulate the fineness of the prodnot delivered through its outer end, and a plate 10 provided with a central opening 12 which in diameter corresponds with the imaginary cylinder in which the inner. edge of the helix is disposed, is secured at the delivery end of the conduit to prevent the discharge of coarse matter with the fine product passing through the central portion of the same.

In the operation of a mill to which the classifier is attached, the matter discharged from the rotary container is compelled to pass through the conical conduit to the opening in the plate at the larger end of the same.

The coarser particles contained in the outflowing material, settle in the helical passage formed by the blade 7 and are by the rotary motion of the conduit with the mill, returned into the latter to be again subjected to the rinding action. 7

Whi e passing through the end-portion of the classifier, immediately adjoining the cylindrical container, the .coarser matter conveyed by the helix, passes through the space exteriorly of the partition, which prevents the outfiowing current from washing the returning matter out of the shallow endportion of the helical passage.

The current flowing outwardly through the conical conduit, passes across settlingspaces of progressionally increasing depths, with the result that the-matter settling out of the current into the said spaces, becomes gradually finer as the current advances through the conduit.

By lengthening or shortening the helical passage, the fineness of the product may thus be accurately determined, for which purpose I compose the conduit of detachably connected sections as shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

In case the conduit is made ofJa length greater than that ordinarily required for the separation of theentire oversize from material discharged from the grinding mill, it is neither necessary nor practical to continuously increase the depth the helical passage, for which reason the sections at the delivery-end of the conduit may be made cylindrical in form, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

When the classifier is used in connection with a fine-grinding or pulverizing machine, such as a tube-mill, the conical conduit is preferably connected at its large end with construction shown in Fig. 1 in which the.

return current moves upwardly along the ta cring surface of the conduit.

I n the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the grinding mill has a perforated partition 16 through which the discharge passes into and through the open end of a rotarydrum 15.

To prevent the oversize returning through the helical passage of the classifier, from mixing with the matter flowing outwardly through the open end of. the mill, said pas sage is connected at its outer end with a spiral conduit 17 adapted'to deliver the returning matter at a point adjacent the surface of the discharge end of the drum.

' It will be readily understood that my classifier while especially adapted for use in connection with rotary grinding mills, may if so desired, be-used independent of other devices for the classification of finely divided materials, and'that while I have shown'and described the classifier in the best form at present known to me, modifications in the construction thereof other than those shown in the drawings, 'may be resorted to Within the spirit of my invention as expressed in the appended claims.

1. A classifier comprising a rotary conduit mounted with its axis substantially horizontal and having a feed-opening at one end and a discharge-opening at its opposite end, and a helical troughof gradually diminishing depth winding from the discharge end to the feed end of the conduit with the edges of its sides terminating in the periphery of an imaginary cylinder coaxial with the conduit, to receive settling particles of a current ofmaterial passing through the center of the conduit.

2. A classifier comprising a rotary conduit to receive settling particles of a current of material passing through the center of the conduit, and a partition dividing said trough at the feed-end of the conduit from the central portion thereof whereby to provide a passage which conducts the inflowing material past the shallowest portion of the trough through which settling matter 'flows in opposite directions.

3. -A classifier comprising a rotary conduit of variable length mounted wlth its axis substantially horizontal and having a feed-opening at one end and a dischargeopening at its opposite end, and a helical 15 trough of gradually diminishing depth windingfroirrthe discharge end to the feed end of the conduit with the edges of its sides terminating in the periphery of an imaginary cylinder coaxial with the conduit, to receive settling particles of a current of material passing throu h the center of the conduit.

4. A classi er comprisin a rotary conduit composed of end-to-en adjoining and detachably connected sections and having a feed-opening at one end and a discharge opening at its oppositeend, said conduit being mounted with its axis substantially horizontal, and a helical trough of gradually diminishing depth winding from the discharge end to the feed end of the conduit with the edges of its sides terminating in the periphery of an imaginary cylinder coaxial with the conduit, to receive settling particles of a current of material passing through the center of the conduit.

5. A classifier comprising a rotary, intematerial riorly tapering conduit mounted with its axis substantially horizontal and having a feed-opening at one end and a discharge opening at its opposite end, and a helical blade winding from the discharge end to the feed-end of the conduit with its outer edge adjoining the interior surface thereof and with its inner edge terminating at the periphery of an imaginary cylinder coaxial with the conduit, whereby to provide a helical trough of gradually increasing depth to receive settling particles of a current of passing through the center of the conduit.

6. A classifier comprising a rotary conduit mounted with its axis substantially horizontal and having a feed-opening atone end and a discharge-opening at its opposite end, said conduit including a cylindrical section at its feed end, and a section which flares from the first-mentioned section to its discharge end, a helical blade winding from the discharge end to the feed end of the conduit with its outer edge adjoining the interior surface thereof and with its inner edge terminating at the periphery of an imaginary cylinder coaxial with the conduit, and a cylindrical partition adjoining the inner edge of the blade within the cylindrical section of the conduit.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH S. BARTLEY. Witnesses G. J. RQLLANDET, L. RHOADES. 

